Golf club with face aligning and orienting means



- June 27, 1967 s. M. GRISWOLD 3,328,032

GOLF CLUB WITH FACE ALIGNING AND ORIENTING MEANS Filed March 9, 1965 I nven for v J tan/6y M. Gris 100/0 51 722's A ZLnrrzey WQ- W United States Patent 3,328,032 GOLF CLUB WITH FACE ALIGNENG AND ORIENTING MEANS Stanley M. Griswold, West Newton, Mass. (Owls Head, Maine 04854) Filed Mar. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 438,362 4 Claims. (Cl. 273164) This invention relates to an improved golf club for putting.

In putting, accuracy depends on swinging the club in the line the ball is to travel and on orienting the club head face to meet the ball squarely. It is usual to place the club head in front of the ball, visually determine the line the ball should travel, and adjust the club head to an estimated perpendicular to this imaginary line. The club head is then moved behind the ball and swung to strike the ball. This has called for a keen eye and a developed judgment as to whether the club face is square to the swing line and positioned to strike the ball fairly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf club constructed to aid in determining the swing and ball travel lines and to assist in club face positioning and orientation.

To these ends and in accordance with a feature of the present invention, I have provided a golf club including a shaft and club head in which a special contour on the portion of the club head opposite the club face enables accurate determination of the line for swinging the club head and precise orientation and positioning of the club head for striking the ball squarely.

The invention will be described more fully in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an angular view of a golf club according to the present invention with upper portions of the shaft broken away;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the alinement of club and ball for orienting and positioning the club head;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic angular view illustrating the operation of determining the line of swing for the club head;

FIG. 4 is an angular view of another embodiment of a golf club according to the present invention with the shaft broken away; and

FIG. 5 is an angular view of still another embodiment of a golf club according to the invention with the shaft broken away.

The golf club shown in the drawings is a putter comprising a shaft 12 and a club head 14 with a striking face 16 on one side of the club head. On the other side 18 of the club head opposite the striking face 16 there is provided a contoured portion 20 concave at the side of the club 14 opposite the striking face 16, defining, as viewed from above, an arcuate line 22. The arcuate line 22 is preferably formed by the intersection of the surface of a recess 24 in the back side 18 of the club head and the top surface 26 of the club head. The recess provides space for close relation of the arcuate line 22 and the golf ball 36 without contact. Other constructions may be used including an integral projection 28 (see FIG. 4) or a firmly attached plate 30 (see FIG. 5) extending back from the side 18 and having arcuate edge portions 32 and 34 respectively defining the desired arcuate lines 22' and 22. The radius of the arcuate line 22 may be from approximately the radius of a golf ball 36 to slightly greater, suitably from about to about greater than that of a golf ball. The contoured portion 20, or the projection 28 or plate 30 is disposed so that it is symmetrical about a vertical plane perpendicular to the club face and passing through the desired ball contact point of the club face, preferably the effective center of mass of the club head 14. An indicator mark, shown as an arrow 38, on the top surface 26 of the club head 14 is also disposed in this plane.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the striking face 16 of the club 14 is lined up and oriented to strike the ball 36 squarely and straight by placing the club head 14 slightly in front of the ball with the arcuate line evenly spaced from or coinciding with the forward edge of the ball and with the arrow pointing toward the spot 40 or point through which the ball 36 is to travel to enter the hole 42. This spot or point 40 can be directly in front of the club face 16 or at a distance up to one or two inches. When the club head 14 is positioned in back of the ball for stroking the arrow 38 on top should pass through the identified spot or point 40 previously designated by the arrow when the club head 14 was in front of the ball 36. Thus the line of the stroke is definitely determined and can be kept true visually in much the same manner as true front and back sights on a rifle. By looking down it is easy to see whether or not the club face 16 is centered on the ball 36 since any variation in the spacing between the arcuate line 22 and the edges of the ball 36 as seen past the arcuate line 22 is immediately apparent and readily corrected. In this relation of the club head 14 and ball 36 there is an excellent sighting system not only in the marking 38 on the top of the club head per se; but in the combination of the marking 38 and the ball top, i.e. the vertical axis of the ball, which constitute front and rear sights with sufficient spacing to reduce the percentage of error in determining the line of travel. Thus the club head 14 is easily and accurately positioned to swing in the required line; and the club face 16 is squared and centered at the desired point of impact on the club face.

The club is next lifted while retaining its proper orientation and positioned behind the ball with the marker pointing in the desired line of travel and on the line passing through the vertical axis of the ball, i.e. the ball top. With the club thus positioned, it is found that the club head is easily and accurately maintained in the predetermined line of swing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A golf club including a shaft, a club head, a striking face on said club head, positioning and orienting structure on the side of said club head opposite said striking face, said structure including portions defining, when viewed from above, an arcuate edge concave toward the side opposite said striking face, said arcuate edge being symmetrical relative to a vertical plane perpendicular to the striking face and passing through the desired ball contact point on said striking face, the radius of said arcuate member being approximately equal to the radius of a golf ball, and an indicator marking on an upper surface of said club head in said plane perpendicular to the striking face.

2. A golf club as defined in claim 1 in which said portions defining an arcuate edge are disposed on said club head with the point of closest approach of said edge to said striking face on a line perpendicular to said striking face through the effective center of mass of said club head.

3. A golf club as defined in claim 2 in which said portions defining an arcuate edge are constructed to define an edge at a level higher than the midpoint of the ball as the club is held for positioning and swinging.

4. A golf club as defined in claim 2 in which said arcuate edge is formed by the intersection of an upper surface of said club and a recess in the side of said club head opposite said striking face.

(References on following page) 3 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1924 Rimmer 273-163 2/1925 Lawton 273-175 4 FOREIGN PATENTS 324,620 1/ 1930 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

R. J APLEY, Assistant Examiner 

1. A GOLF CLUB INCLUDING A SHAFT, A CLUB HEAD, A STRIKING FACE ON SAID CLUB HEAD, POSITIONING AND ORIENTING STUCTURE ON THE SIDE OF SAID CLUB HEAD OPPOSITE SAID STRIKING FACE, SAID STRUCTURE INCLUDING PORTIONS DEFINING, WHEN VIEWED FROM ABOVE, AN ARCUATE EDGE CONCAVE TOWARD THE SIDE OPPOSITE SAID STRIKING FACE, SAID ARCUATE EDGE BEING SYMMETRICAL RELATIVE TO A VERTICAL PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE STRIKING FACE AND PASSING THROUGH THE DESIRED BALL CONTACT POINT ON SAID STRIKING FACE, THE RADIUS OF SAID ARCUATE MEMBER BEING APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE RADIUS OF A GOLF BALL, AND AN INDICATOR MARKING ON AN UPPER SURFACE OF SAID CLUB HEAD IN SAID PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE STRIKING FACE. 